


Advent 22

by darksquall, lanapanda



Series: Science Boys Advent 2012 [5]
Category: Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, The Avengers (2012)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Oh Tony, You won't like him when he's angry, advent calendar fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-07
Updated: 2012-12-07
Packaged: 2017-11-20 14:05:24
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,742
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/586176
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/darksquall/pseuds/darksquall, https://archiveofourown.org/users/lanapanda/pseuds/lanapanda
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Plans are well underway, and in between meetings and planning, Tony wonders if he'll ever stop blushing. (Part of an Advent series in collaboration with darksquall)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Advent 22

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: The characters and places contained herein do not belong to me and I am making no money from this.

Of all the changes in himself that Tony had noticed during his relationship with Bruce, the biggest was in his willingness – no, his **eagerness** – to share. At some point fairly early on, his constant internal refrain of "mine" and "my stuff" had become "ours" and "our stuff". And even though he never said it aloud, it never failed to give Tony a little secret thrill whenever Bruce felt comfortable enough to lay claim to something that would have been exclusively Tony's domain before they got together.  
  
Meetings, for example. It went without saying that Tony Stark was the one who set the itinerary and parameters for any meeting that required his presence. And almost invariably, even though Tony was the one who set the time and the venue, he would get caught up in the lab or some other distraction and forget the meeting entirely.  
  
Unless Bruce set the meeting.  
  
If Bruce set the meeting, Tony was always there, on time, and fully prepared. The trick was in order for that to be the case, Bruce had to also be leading the meeting in question. And in the past, Bruce only ever led meetings for projects that he was actually in charge of.  
  
But gradually, as their relationship and their partnership had grown, Bruce had taken over more and more responsibility within Stark Industries so that it wasn't so unusual for Bruce to be the one to not only lead a meeting, but to set up new ones as well, whether or not he was the primary point of contact for a particular project.  
  
The only other man (without the last name Stark)  who had ever enjoyed that level of control and autonomy within the company was Obadiah Stane. Tony hadn’t forgotten Stane. On the contrary, it had been just one more lesson in how trust was just a handle for people to turn him with. How love was just one more way to use him until he was all used up. But Bruce... he had changed that.  
  
He had been quiet and unassuming and more than content to be in the background. Some of that was having lived his life on the run for so long, but some of it was just Bruce’s natural demeanor. He was quiet. He was shy. He didn’t try to take Tony’s spotlight and he never once sought the lavish gifts or extravagant lifestyle that Tony was used to offering to anyone he wanted to stick around.  
  
He had refused all the glamour all the money, all of everything... except Tony. Tony, he’d held onto, fiercely, and refused to let go. And it was because of Bruce that Tony was finally starting to recognize that he was something worth holding onto even when there was no big breakthrough, no huge charity event, no party or afterparty or post afterparty... that Tony was worth something beyond his last name and the money and his father’s legacy. Tony would have given Bruce anything he asked for, but all he’d ever asked for was Tony.  
  
So even though on the surface it was one of the least romantic conversations he could've possibly chosen to have while they were being fitted for their wedding  suits, Tony turned to Bruce and asked, “Feel up to going to the lawyers’ offices after this? We should get you added to some of the official documents. And you need to have power of attorney over the business or anything else that might crop up.”  
  
“After we’re done here?” Bruce asked, careful to hold still as the tailor measured his inseam and put the pins into place.  
  
Tony had been coming to this same tailor’s shop since he was 7, and the tailor hadn’t changed in the slightest -- white haired, blue-eyed and incredibly British, his demeanor ensured that Tony would be on his best behavior for the duration of the fitting. He’d only tutted slightly when Tony asked for the new outfits on short noticed. Even better, he’d been willing to accommodate their request to be fitted at the same time, so Tony was only an arm’s length away from Bruce, though they still could not touch overtly in public. Not yet.  
  
“Sure, if you don’t mind it,” Tony replied, relieved. He had only the slightest notion of what it meant to be a responsible adult, most of the time.  So when Tony actually hit upon an idea that was somewhat practical, he liked to get confirmation that he truly was on the right track. Bruce’s easy agreement made Tony feel like he’d earned his gold star in responsibility for the day.  
  
“Not at all,” Bruce smiled over at Tony as the tailor made a few more adjustments, then wandered off to check on the fabric options for their waistcoats.  
  
“Thanks. I’m trying to be a responsible fiancé,” Tony murmured with a faint grin. He doubted the tailor would overhear, and he liked being able to say that word aloud. Fiancé. It never failed to make Bruce’s eyes light up, and for that reason alone Tony would sneak it into conversations as much as possible.  
  
Bruce moved only just enough to briefly brush his fingertips against Tony’s. “It’s working. I hadn’t thought of that side of things yet.” From his perspective, there wasn’t much to decide. All of his belongings that he’d owned before Tony had been confiscated by the military, except for a few things here and there that he’d managed to salvage. He wasn’t rich (though his salary at Stark Industries was decidedly comfortable, that was still due to Tony) and there was nothing he owned that a lawyer would deem worthy of paperwork.  
  
“Well, there’s also the fact that I want to have the paperwork in hand when we announce our engagement,” Tony admitted with a grin. Years of being dictated to by the board, first with Stane and then just in general had given Tony a flare for the dramatic when it came to doing what he wanted with his company. “Anyone trying to talk me out of it can kiss my --”  
  
The tailor returned and quietly cleared his throat as he offered up the different brocade fabrics for their approval.  
  
“-- notarized signature,” Tony finished with a sheepish look.  
  
Bruce muffled a snicker and nodded at the leaf and vine design that was reminiscent of holly.  
  
“Tell me you aren’t looking forward to the next board meeting,” Tony said with a quirk of his eyebrow. He nodded his agreement as well, and the tailor began making the adjustments to the mockups they wore.  
  
Bruce hesitated only briefly before he admitted, “It’s going to be very interesting, you’re right.”  
  
“Annnd the next big party I have to throw will be for New Year’s,” Tony reminded him with a grin.  
  
“There’ll be a lot of press there,” Bruce said with a faint smile.  
  
Tony couldn’t help teasing him, just a little. “Mmhmm. And a lot of people who want to dance.” Tony often ended up in the Society pages of the paper after any of those parties, dancing with whatever up-and-coming model or starlet of the week happened to nab his arm first. And even though Bruce had never complained, Tony knew that one of the reasons Bruce so seldom came to those parties was because he didn’t like to watch Tony pretend to flirt with any and everyone around.  
  
He felt instantly contrite at the way Bruce nodded and held back a faint sigh. “Well, nevermind.”  
  
“I’m looking forward to being able to say my dance card is full for the night,” Tony lowered his voice, and tipped his head in Bruce’s direction just a little.  
  
Bruce raised his eyebrows. “... and let down all those supermodels, actresses, reporters...?”  
  
“There’s only one person I want to dance with, and that person doesn’t give interviews.”  
  
Bruce’s smile returned, and with it, Tony’s elation over the wedding and the anticipation of that moment when he’d be saying ‘my husband’ instead of ‘my fiancé’.  
  
“They might be amenable to answering one or two questions, given the subject matter.”  
  
Tony grinned. “Then I’ll leave it for that person to decide. But I’m not dancing with anyone else for at least the first three parties.”  
  
Bruce chuckled and shook his head. “Mmm. Okay. I’m sure they’ll love that.”  
  
“Then we’re all decided,” Tony said, and he stole a quick kiss, just pressing his lips warmly against Bruce’s before standing up straight again by virtue of pins that were slightly disgruntled by his movement.  
  
“Love you,” Bruce murmured and Tony could feel a faint blush stealing across his cheeks at the words.  
  
“And I love you,” The fact that he could say it now without the awkward pause (but not always without blushing even more) was something that Tony was particularly proud of. He loved Bruce. Not ‘liked’ or ‘cared about’ or ‘had feelings for’, but _loved_ and continued to love and it was totally okay to say that to another human being and to know they felt the same way. “Especially when you’re dancing with me and saving me from the press.”  
  
“I can’t wait.” The little tinge of excitement to Bruce’s voice when he said that just made Tony smile all the more.  
  
“We have a lot to look forward to.”  
  
Bruce reached over and took Tony by the hand, daring the wrath of the pins to squeeze Tony’s hand gently. “Feeling nervous yet?”  
  
“I think I’m all out of nervous. I’d been planning this for weeks before I asked you.” He probably should have been nervous. A normal person would be. But Tony? Now that he’d gotten his ‘yes’ there was no more nervous. Flutters of anticipation. Very brief flickers of panic when he realized just how much they still had to do, but no nerves.  
  
“Can I ask why?” Bruce held onto Tony’s hand and tipped his head. “Not why you wanted to marry me. Why now.”  
  
Tony curled his fingers against Bruce’s and tried to come up with something eloquent, but there was nothing forthcoming so he went with the truth instead. “Because... I love you. And I finally got the prototype of your ring to pass the blast tests. And... I don’t want to wait on our happily ever after.”  
  
Bruce’s expression softened, and made those gentle brown eyes of his seem that much warmer. “You’re incredible.”  
  
“And you’re amazing. We make a good team,” Tony said, and he could feel the blush ratcheting up again, warming his neck and his ears and even the very tip of his nose but there was nothing at all that he could do about it. He was sure that anyone who looked at them between now and the 25th was going to be able to guess that they were getting married, just by virtue of all the smiling and uncontrollable blushes flying around.  
  
“You’re still my hero.”  
  
“And you’re mine, Bruce.” Tony grinned a little, then quickly changed the subject to try to stop the blushing before it became terminal. “Let’s have these suits delivered and go take care of all the unpleasant lawyer stuff before lunch?”  
  
“Yes. We can review the plans we’ve made so far, tonight.” Bruce gave his hand one more squeeze before letting go.  
  
“Sounds good. We’re on schedule, I think.” Tony tried to sound more businesslike as he heard the tailor coming back towards them from the back of the shop.  
  
“So long as nothing goes wrong,” Bruce said, and Tony saw him wince a little as soon as the words were out of his mouth.  
  
“You’re so lucky I’m not superstitious.”  
  
“Yeah, I just heard a violin scratch somewhere,” Bruce said with a shake of his head.  
  
“They itch?” Tony teased.  
  
“Don’t make me spank you while we’re in semi-public, Honey.”  
  
Tony laughed out loud, and then had to endure the baleful stare of the tailor as he tried to hold still amid holding in said laughter.  
  
A few moments later, they were out of the mockups and Bruce was heading for the door at a fast clip. Fast enough that Tony actually gave chase, throwing caution to the wind just long enough to hug Bruce from behind, briefly.  
  
“Time for lawyers?” Bruce asked as they stepped out onto the street and Tony turned that embrace into a more manly arm-slung-over-the-shoulder kind of a hug.  
  
“Yeah. It’s a good thing we pay them to be available whenever I happen to show up.”  
  
“How much have you tested that?” Bruce asked, eyebrow raised.  
  
“Oh... a lot.” Tony grinned.  
  
“C’mon,” Bruce nudged him towards the car and as soon as they were both settled and Tony was on the road, Bruce’s hand had found Tony’s again. “At least this is a relatively normal kind of visit, even if it is short notice.”  
  
Tony grinned. He loved the way Bruce had gotten so used to their little intimacies, and the way he initiated them, claiming ownership in his own quiet way. “So, to pass the time in the horrible traffic: Banner-Stark? Stark-Banner sounds... suggestive.”  
  
Tony’s question was rewarded with a surprised and pleased expression from Bruce. “Tony Banner-Stark... Actually, that sounds good.”  
  
“Bruce Banner-Stark sounds pretty good too,” Tony agreed. He mused as he maneuvered them around the usual lunch-time traffic and got them pointed in the direction of the law firm. “Banner-Stark International, hmm...”  
  
Bruce blinked at Tony, and his eyes went entirely round. A very rare look for him -- Tony decided that he liked it very much. “Seriously?”  
  
“Well, yeah. We’re getting married, Bruce. And there _is_ the fact that you head up some of the major branches of research for the company now,” Tony said, as if it was the most natural thing in the world to put someone else’s name on his multi-billion dollar company.  
  
“But your company...” Bruce still sounded shocked. “You’ve made it what it is.”  
  
“We’ll open up a new branch to commemorate this,” Tony said, and he brought Bruce’s hand to his lips, kissing his knuckles gently. If the windows weren’t tinted, he’d likely have blown their cover a million times over by now, but Tony found himself caring less and less. “A partnership in all ways.”  
  
“You know... I have you. That’s all I need,” Bruce said softly.  
  
“And the company is part of me that I want to share with you,” Tony replied with cheerful stubbornness. There was no changing his mind. Once, he would have given just as much to a man who literally ripped out his lifeline. Once, while dying, he tried to give it all away. Now... Now Tony was alive, in love, and he’d be damned if he wasn’t going to share everything with the one person who understood him better than anyone else, and still somehow managed to love that person he’d found underneath all the shiny lights and spinning rims.  
  
“Okay,” Bruce said quietly. He smiled and brushed his thumb across Tony’s hand. “Banner-Stark.”  
  
“Mmm, new business cards,” Tony mused with a grin. “We can program an upgrade to the RFID model...”  
  
“Mine should say: ‘Dr. Bruce Banner-Stark’ and have underneath it ‘Yes, he is my husband.’” Bruce was grinning now, warming up to the idea and it pleased Tony to no end that Bruce would want to brag about being married to him.  
  
“So should mine say ‘Anthony Edward Banner-Stark’ and then ‘You don’t want to make my husband angry’?” He asked with a laugh.  
  
Bruce cracked up entirely at the idea, and Tony resolved to get at least one set made that said exactly that.  
  
“You know we should get some official pictures done too, to release to the press. In our wedding gear.” Bruce adjusted his glasses and smiled.  
  
“Yeah, we should. Steve could do the photography. I think he’ll be relieved that we’re both in suits.”  
  
“He did look a little overwhelmed,” Bruce admitted with a smile.  
  
“We’ll have to ask Pepper to tell us how she talked him down later,” Tony grinned as the shiny glass building that served as the law firm’s headquarters came into view.  
  
Bruce nodded. “We just need to get in contact with Thor, now.”  
  
Yeah, I left a message on his cellphone, but... who knows if he’s around to use it.” Tony shook his head. Thor came and went with as much predictability as the lightning he was so fond of calling down.  
  
“We'll give it a few more days and maybe ask Coulson if there've been any reports of him,” Bruce suggested.  
  
“That works for me.”  
  
Bruce gave Tony's hand another gentle squeeze. "Either way, we need to decide on official invitations so people know how to get there."  
  
“Can they be shaped like beakers and explode glitter on them when they open it?” Tony teased, only half-serious. To his unending delight, Bruce nodded.  
  
“Red, green and gold glitter. So they know the theme.”  
  
“I love you.” That time Tony managed it without hesitation or blush.  
  
“I love you too. Thank you for encouraging my wicked side,” Bruce said with a grin.  
  
“Well, someone has to, or I don’t get my daily allotment of mischief.”  
  
“Oh, so that's what's on the armor's HUD?”  
  
“Mischief? Nah. But I do have that one time you let me record us...”  
  
“You don’t have that in the armor,” Bruce eyed Tony, trying not to smile.  
  
“I might.”  
  
“No way. you’d injure your... interface.”  
  
Tony started laughing and nearly missed the turn-in to the parking lot for the law firm. “You’d help me retool it, if I did. It’s a win-win.”  
  
“I’d have to take a lot of time retooling _you_ and kissing it better,” Bruce murmured, and instantly Tony’s mind was filled with every time Bruce had spent an evening kissing him after a mission and the way Bruce’s lips would linger warmly over even the most minor of injuries.  
  
“Nnngh. Let’s pick up this conversation after the lawyers. Or else I’m going to forget being responsible and will probably break some public decency law with you right here in this car.” Tony decided to forgo the valet and just find a nice secluded spot to leave the car, where the press would be unlikely to see it.  
  
“I'll play mechanic for you later,” Bruce promised. “Maybe we can eat lunch at home.”  
  
“We can order in, and I’ll let you... work me over. But for now, the realm of dusty old laws and even dustier old men awaits.”  
  
“Let’s go then.” This time, Bruce kissed Tony’s hand and it made him smile and blush as they both reluctantly let go.  
  
”Starting to feel like everyone in the world can just look at us and tell.” Case in point, Tony found himself struggling for a serious expression as he got on the phone long enough to tell the lawyers that he’d arrived and needed private counsel to work on civil matters.  
  
Bruce waited until Tony had ended the call and dropped the phone into his pocket before he answered. "Most of them won't suspect a thing.”  
  
“Are you sure? All the floating and glowing and blushing won’t clue them in?”  
  
“You’re a playboy,” Bruce said with a half-shrug and a smile. “Or at least, they think you are.”  
  
“That’s true,” Tony said as he led the way into the office building. If anyone knew about the strength of outward perceptions, it was Tony. “Thank you for giving me something a billion times better, by the way. I don’t think I thank you for that often enough.”  
  
Bruce tipped his head to look at Tony with a soft smile. "Thank you for showing me something beautiful.”  
  
The blush that Tony thought he’d managed to get under control returned with a vengeance. “See, that. I don’t think I’m doing a very good job of hiding it when you make me feel like this.”  
  
Bruce shook his head, still smiling. “Not long til we won't have to hide it or deny the suspicions.”  
  
“Not long at all. I hope you’re ready for the throngs of women who will throw themselves at us both, doctor.”  
  
“I've gotten really good at ducking.”  
  
Tony laughed. ”Then you’ll have to teach me.”  
  
“We'll work on going down while I'm playing mechanic,” Bruce murmured and Tony had to slow down again and catch his breath at the little jolt of awareness that came with those words.  
  
“... we aren’t making it back into work today, are we?”  
  
“Not a chance in hell,” Bruce said with a wicked smile.  
  
“Oh god. You’re swearing,” Tony groaned faintly and let them both into the office building in self-defense. He found it completely unfair that Bruce could look so innocent after deliberately toying with his libido.  
  
Being inside the very pristine office didn’t help curb the desire, but it did bring it home yet again that this was real, and that he was really going to be married to Bruce in less than a month. Tony made his way to the receptionist’s desk for the main floor, and let her know that he was in a hurry and needed to speak with senior counsel. In less than five minutes, Tony and Bruce were seated in very comfortable chairs opposite a large mahogany desk behind which sat a properly pressed and starched member of the senior counsel.  
  
“What can I do for you, Mr. Stark?”  
  
”Bruce and I are getting married. I need all the usual paperwork adjusted -- business power of attorney, will, insurance asset allocations, everything.” Being flustered, along with a healthy dose of ‘I’m paying you to do a job, so do it’ meant that Tony had no problems being perfectly blunt.  
  
The silence that followed was deafening. The lawyer (Mr. Cruger by way of his little desk plaque) went very very pale and looked at Bruce pleadingly.  
  
“It’s true,” Bruce offered. “We’re getting married on the 25th.”  
  
Mr. Cruger sputtered and then found his voice. Marginally. “... congratulations, Mr. Stark, Dr. Banner. I... that is... this is something of a surprise.”  
  
Tony smirked and shook his head. “Yes, it’s surprising, we’re amazing, and we need paperwork done today so... could we get that started? Now?”  
  
Bruce reached out and took Tony’s hand in his. “Give him a minute to adjust his worldview, love.”  
  
”We can’t be the first two engaged men he’s ever seen,” Tony tsked, but curled his fingers so that they were laced with Bruce’s just the same.  
  
“No, I guess not.”  
  
“I... Let me call in a couple of my colleagues. I’m sure we could get all of this handled today,” Mr. Cruger gathered his scattered wits and placed the call directly from where he sat.  
  
“Thank you,” Bruce said, and Tony once again felt that little thrill of happiness that Bruce felt comfortable enough to speak up, even if it was just a polite formality.  
  
Mr. Cruger had two more lawyers brought in: an older fellow by the name of Collinwood, and a young man named Bradley who had recently made partner. Between the three of them, there were explanations, inquiries and more explanations.  
  
Two hours passed with nothing more interesting than the scribbling of signatures and initials, and the descriptions of foreign holdings and business interests and investments and houses and investment properties. Two hours of endless monotony, during which Tony grew more and more bored with the entire process.  
  
He’d started relatively upright in the chair, but as the lawyers had droned on, Bruce noted that Tony had slid further and further down in the seat, until he was sprawled there like a bad tomcat waiting for his time at the vet to be over.  
  
It might never have ended at all, in Tony’s estimation, but for the words that Mr. Bradley uttered as they wrapped up yet another round of signatures:  
  
“And we’ll be needing to set up the prenuptial agreement of course.”  
  
Tony’s disinterested gaze suddenly became sharp and unpleasant. He also managed to go from lounging to sitting bolt upright in less than half a second.  
  
Bruce saw the warning signs before the lawyers did -- they were still entirely engrossed with the sheer volume of the forms -- and he put his hand over Tony’s again. “Love.”  
  
“We won’t be needing a prenuptial agreement.” Tony turned his hand so that Bruce’s palm was against his. The unspoken ‘fuck you’ had been inserted at the beginning of the sentence. If they’d asked him, Tony wouldn’t have been able to articulate just why it pissed him off so badly in that moment. But he knew, on a very visceral level, that if marriage was supposed to be love, and love was supposed to be about trust and mutual affection and respect, then planning for the knife in the back made a lie out of it all.  
  
He wasn’t going to stand for anyone calling what he and Bruce had a lie. Especially not some upstart lawyer he was paying well into the $100s per hour for the privilege.    
  
The older two lawyers quelled a bit -- they knew how Tony Stark operated and that a certain tone of voice meant that there was not going to be a discussion or argument. But Mr. Bradley was just plain incredulous and didn’t see the metaphorical laser target he’d painted on himself by not backing down.  
  
“Mr. Stark, I understand that these things can be... awkward... but it’s in the best interests of you both to have the agreement, and to put into place some protections in case there are incidents...”  
  
Tony raised an eyebrow and got that rakehell grin that Bruce had seen in the replays of the Senate committee hearing. Target acquired. ”Incidents. Maybe you ought to explain to the class what you mean by that.”  
  
Bruce facepalmed. Things had been going so well.  
  
Mr. Bradley looked around for support from his colleagues, and finding none, realized that he should probably tread lightly. ”What I mean is... and no offense at all, Doctor Banner, but we do know that the Hulk can cause significant damage, and there’s the possibility of lawsuits --”  
  
But it was too late for that.  
  
“You’re new here, aren’t you?” Bruce murmured, but Tony was already in a fine form.  
  
In fact, Tony had already stood up, put both hands on the mahogany desk and leaned into Mr. Bradley’s personal space like they were old friends.  
  
“Damage? You mean like saving my **_life_** kind of damage? You should be thanking him, since if I’d died saving your sorry ass along with the rest of Manhattan -- you’re _welcome_ , by the way -- you can bet that your practice would be a few hundred million dollars lighter right now to say the least.” he paused, largely because Bruce had spoken earlier and somewhere underneath the huge plume of absolute fury, Tony realized that it was actually a question that Bruce had asked.  
  
“I-I didn’t mean... that is...”  
  
When the lawyer didn’t answer whatever question it was that Bruce had asked, Tony bulldozed on. “Oh we know what you mean. And here’s what I mean. Take your bullshit prenuptial agreement spiel and shove it up your ass. Then kindly go away and find someone who isn’t going to piss me off to finish the last of this _fucking_ red tape so that my fiancé can have all the proper rights due him according to the law.”  
  
Tony was so angry that he was trembling faintly, and there was Bruce, completely calm and with that gentle smile that Tony had fallen in love with over and over in the last year and a half. It occurred to Tony that maybe he was being something of an asshole, and so he sat back down.  
  
Bruce just kept smiling. "You have to give him his due, Tony. He risked making me angry to try to get his point across. Can we assume that I'm really not that easy to piss off and get on with this or do you want to find someone more appropriate for this situation?" He put his hand back over Tony’s reassuringly.  
  
“Let’s get this over with, so we can get out of here in time to get a late lunch,” he exhaled most of his bad temper and squeezed Bruce’s hand gently. The rest of his bad temper vanished when he felt Bruce squeeze his hand right back.  
  
Silence once again ruled the room. Tony and Bruce finished signing the forms the lawyers provided (minus the presence of one Mr. Bradley) hand in hand, just like that.


End file.
